


Strain

by InsanitysxCreation



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, could be read as friendship or budding romance, minor injury, no major spoilers, takes place during the hunt for the Twilight Mirror shards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-23 04:17:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4862819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsanitysxCreation/pseuds/InsanitysxCreation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Midna notices the effects of Link's hard lifestyle and does her best to help relieve him from some of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strain

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first time writing for this fandom, so please forgive me if anyone seems out of character. Just a short little piece I thought of while watching my favorite Let's Play of LoZ:TP ever. It's on YouTube, by MasaeAnela, if you're interested. Here's the link to the [playlist](http://youtu.be/8v8xzFSPYr4?list=PLVimAd1p9OoCqxIqPVZwDt96kGTke9OLH).
> 
> For now, I hope you enjoy this little slice of life between two adventurers. Un-beta'd, so please let me know if you see any major mistakes or an area I could improve!
> 
> Warning for brief description of minor injuries, in case that's something that makes you uncomfortable.
> 
> I do not own any of these characters.

    "Looks like there's another heart container piece up there," Midna commented from her spot in Link's shadow. Link looked up at the top of the rock she had noticed and nodded, digging around in his seemingly-endless pouches for the right tool.

    The two had been traveling together for quite some time now. Almost all of the twilight was cleared from Hyrule, leaving only the castle blocked off. Their relationship, while rocky and antagonistic at first - mostly on her end, Midna was Twili enough to admit that - had developed into a deeper trust and friendship than she had ever expected. She had seen Link do some amazing and dangerous things for people he barely knew, including her. She... really didn't know exactly how to feel about him.

    While she had been contemplating from the shadows, Link had settled on the clawshot to retrieve the heart container piece. Midna noticed a slight tremble in his arm as he lined up the shot, but ignored it; that old tech was pretty clunky, after all. It wasn't until Link let out a sharp cry of pain as they jerked to a stop against the wall after a neck-jerking zoom over that Midna knew something was wrong.

    "Link! What happened?"

    He just slumped on the ground, jaw clenched, one hand clamped tightly on his dominant shoulder. He shook his head and shakily went to stand, but Midna solidified in front of him and pushed him back down. He gaped at her with wide, confused eyes. She propped her tiny fists on her tiny hips, cursing this imp form: she would be far more commanding in her natural shape, but this would have to do.

    "Link, you are hurt!" He opened his mouth to protest, so she narrowed her eye at him. "Oh, you don't think so? Then take off your shirt and prove it."

    His cheeks and the tips of his ears flushed red. It was... quite an adorable look on him, but she pushed that thought aside. After a brief stare-down, Link's shoulders slumped and he rearranged himself more comfortably on the ground, placing his sword and shield within easy grabbing distance next to his legs. Slowly, he removed his bulky pouches and weapon harnesses. She saw him wince as he pulled his tunics over his head, the expression partly obscured by the fabric.

    When he lowered his arms, Midna couldn't help but gasp: Link's shoulders were both red and a little swollen, moreso on his dominant side. How had she not noticed the stiff way he carried himself? When was the last time he'd been able to really relax?

    She quickly schooled her expression into one of disapproval and tutted as she inspected the hot flesh, careful not to touch his shoulders in case it hurt him. "This is from all that climbing and sword-swinging you've been doing, I bet. I keep telling you, you need to stretch before an area you think will have battles but _nooo,_ just ignore the person who's been around longer than you have." She scowled and poked his shoulder purposefully, making him wince. "You have to take care of yourself, Link! How can you save anybody if you can't even climb up a rock face because your body is too exhausted? Not everything can be solved with a potion, you know."

    Link hung his head down with a resigned nod. He was practically emitting shame and guilt. Midna could just slap herself: she knew what kind of inferiority-hero's complex he had, those kinds of words wouldn't do anything except make him tense up more!

    She heaved a great sigh and gently placed both her hands on his less dominant shoulder, slowly working them in circles around the joint. "Luckily for you," she said more quietly, "I know a solution for problems like this."

    Link remained tense and red-cheeked at first, quivering as he held himself perfectly still. However, when Midna dug her tiny fist into just the right spot, he practically melted with a choked moan. She grinned in triumph and began really working the muscles, running her cool fingers everywhere that was aching, moving from one shoulder to the next. Link was so much more relaxed when she stopped, arms trailing on the ground and breathing much deeper.

    She inspected his shoulders again. Idly, she wished she could go fetch some snow from that freezing mountain, but Link didn't do well in the cold and she didn't want to leave him like this, even for a quick warp. She settled for ripping the old cloth belt he still had tucked away from the outfit he had worn before he got the hero's green into two pieces, ignoring the small unhappy sound he made. She wrapped his shoulders as well as she could, her small frame making it hard to keep a steady tension.

    "There. That should be better," she pronounced when she was finished, dusting her hands together. "Now, you should probably take it easy for a while, maybe we could warp over to those hot springs in..."

    Midna trailed off when she realized Link was asleep, slumped against the stone wall of the cliff. Light from the setting sun gilded his hair gold and brushed his skin with bronze. A peaceful expression had, for once, smoothed the constant wrinkle between his eyebrows.

    It was times like these that reminded Midna just how different they were. While she had to ignore the slight burning sensation of being out in the harsh light, that very same light seemed to caress this boy, this hero, and filled him with an inner radiance she could never hope to match.

    She gently pushed him over, making sure his head landed on a makeshift pillow of his clothes. As the sun set and the moon rose, Midna turned her back on him and stared out into the night. With all the considerable power at her disposal, she would make sure nothing bothered them tonight. Link deserved so much more than one night of good sleep, but for now, it was all she could give him.

    The world could wait one more night.

**Author's Note:**

> Almost all of Link's weapons are so shoulder- or arm-reliant and sometimes really jerky or heavy, so it's little wonder if he gets hurt sometimes. Especially when you consider he's a 17 year old using these ancient things for the first tome ever in his life, usually in life-or-death situations and with zero prior training.(I think about these things a lot)


End file.
